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This Is A Wonderful Time To Be Living Here On Earth. Our Opportunities Are Limitless. While There Are Some Things Wrong In The World Today, There Are Many Things Right, Such As Teachers Who Teach, Ministers Who Minister, Marriages That Make It, Parents Who Sacrifice, And Friends Who Help. "we Can Lift Ourselves, And Others As Well, When We Refuse To Remain In The Realm Of Negative Thought And Cultivate Within Our Hearts An Attitude Of Gratitude. If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues."

-Thomas S. Monson

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This Is A Wonderful

Thomas S. Monson

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This Is A Wonderful Time To Be Living Here On Earth. Our Opportunities Are Limitless. While There Are Some Things Wrong In The World Today, There Are Many Things Right, Such As Teachers Who Teach, Ministers Who Minister, Marriages That Make It, Parents Who Sacrifice, And Friends Who Help. "we Can Lift Ourselves, And Others As Well, When We Refuse To Remain In The Realm Of Negative Thought And Cultivate Within Our Hearts An Attitude Of Gratitude. If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues."

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Have An Attitude Of Gratitude.

So Much In Life Depends On Our Attitude. The Way We Choose To See Things And Respond To Others Makes All The Difference. To Do The Best We Can And Then To Choose To Be Happy About Our Circumstances, Whatever They May Be, Can Bring Peace And Contentment. We Can't Direct The Wind, But We Can Adjust The Sails. For Maximum Happiness, Peace, And Contentment, May We Choose A Positive Attitude.

Love Should Be The Very Heart Of Family Life.

None Within The Sound Of My Voice Should Be In Any Doubt Concerning What Is Moral And What Is Not, Nor Should Any Be In Doubt About What Is Expected Of Us ... We Have Been And Continue To Be Taught God's Laws. Despite What You May See Or Hear Elsewhere, These Laws Are Unchanging.

Your Patriarchal Blessing Is Your Passport To Peace In This Life. It Is A Liahona Of Light To Guide You Unerringly To Your Heavenly Home.

Times Change, Years Speed By, But Christmas Continues Sacred. It Is Through Giving, Rather Than Getting, That The Spirit Of Christ Enters Our Lives. God Still Speaks. He Prompts. He Guides. He Blesses. He Gives.

I Counseled Many Returning Missionaries. I Interviewed 1,700 Missionaries All Over The World. My Advice To Them Is That You Should Study And Prepare For Your Life's Work In A Field That You Enjoy.

A Grateful Heart ... Comes Through Expressing Gratitude To Our Heavenly Father For His Blessings And To Those Around Us For All That They Bring Into Our Lives.

Through Personal Prayer, Through Family Prayer, By Trusting In God With Faith, Nothing Wavering, We Can Call Down To Our Rescue His Mighty Power.

A Friend Is More Concerned About Helping People Than Getting Credit. A Friend Cares. A Friend Loves. A Friend Listens. And A Friend Reaches Out.

Do Not Yield To Satan's Enticements; Rather, Stand Firm For Truth. The Unsatisfied Yearnings Of The Soul Will Not Be Met By A Never-ending Quest For Joy Amidst The Thrills Of Sensation And Vice. Vice Never Leads To Virtue. Hate Never Promotes Love. Cowardice Never Gives Courage. Doubt Never Inspires Faith.

I Read With Keen Interest The Words Of A Bumper Sticker Readily Visible On The Highly Polished Chrome Bumper Of A Car Which Was Weaving In And Out Of The Traffic Stream. The Words Were These: "honk If You Love Jesus." No One Honked. Perhaps Each Was Disturbed By The Thoughtless And Rude Actions Of The Offending Driver. Then, Again, Would Honking Be An Appropriate Manner In Which To Show One's Love For The Son Of God, The Savior Of The World, The Redeemer Of All Mankind? Such Was Not The Pattern Provided By Jesus Of Nazareth.

Our Challenge Is To Join Forces Of The Old And The New- Experience And Experiment, History And Destiny, The World Of Man And The New World Of Science- But Always In Accordance With The Never-changing Word Of God.

New Experiences

Life By The Yard Is Hard; By The Inch It's A Cinch. Each Of Us Can Be True For Just One Day--and Then One More And Then One More After That--until We've Lived A Lifetime Guided By The Spirit, A Lifetime Close To The Lord, A Lifetime Of Good Deeds And Righteousness.

Anger Does Not Solve Anything; It Builds Nothing.

We May Not Only Find Faith In God In Our Sorrow. We May Also Become Faithful To Him In Times Of Calm.

Our Code Of Conduct Is Definitive; It Is Not Negotiable.

Our Lives Will Depend Upon The Decisions Which We Make, For Decisions Determine Destiny.

Our Opportunities To Give Of Ourselves Are Indeed Limitless, But They Are Also Perishable. There Are Hearts To Gladden. There Are Kind Words To Say. There Are Gifts To Be Given. There Are Deeds To Be Done. There Are Souls To Be Saved.

I Hope That You Will Learn To Take Responsibility For Your Decisions. Don't Take Counsel Of Your Fears.

Taking Responsibility

I Acknowledge That I Do Not Understand The Processes Of Creation, But I Accept The Fact Of It.

I Add My Personal Witness: Our Missionaries Are Not Salesmen With Wares To Peddle; Rather, They Are Servants Of The Most High God, With Testimonies To Bear, Truths To Teach, And Souls To Save. Each Missionary Who Goes Forth In Response To A Sacred Call Becomes A Servant Of The Lord Whose Work This Truly Is. Do Not Fear, Young Men, For He Will Be With You. He Never Fails. He Has Promised: "i Will Go Before Your Face. I Will Be On Your Right Hand And On Your Left, And My Spirit Shall Be In Your Hearts, And Mine Angels Round About You, To Bear You Up"

When We Safeguard (the Heavenly Virtue Of Freedom), When We Honor It, When We Protect It, We Will Walk With Washington, We Will Pray With Patriots, And We Shall Have Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men.

When We Treat People Merely As They Are, They Will Remain As They Are. When We Treat Them As If They Were What They Should Be, They Will Become What They Should Be.

The Temples Are A Refuge From Life's Storms Even A Never-failing Beacon Guiding Us To Safety.

True Love Is A Reflection Of The Savior's Love. In December Of Each Year We Call It The Christmas Spirit.

I Ask You To Make Institute A Priority.

Remember Who You Are And What God Expects You To Become.

Remember Who You Are

Let Us Not Demeanor Or Belittle. Rather, Let Us Be Compassionate And Encouraging,. We Must Be Careful That We Do Not Destroy Another Person's Confidence Through Careless Words. Or Actions.

Work Will Win When Wishy Washy Wishing Won T.

Choose Your Friends With Caution. Plan Your Future With Purpose. Frame Your Life With Faith.

As You Walk Through Life, Always Walk Toward The Light, And The Shadows Of Life Will Fall Behind You.

Finding The Real Joy Of #‎ Christmas Comes Not In The Hurrying And The Scurrying To Get More Done, Nor Is It Found In The Purchasing Of #‎ Gifts . We Find Real Joy When We Make The Savior The Focus Of The Season.

No One Can Make Us Angry. It Is Our Choice.

Choose Good Friends. Friends Help To Determine Your Future. You Will Tend To Be Like Them And To Be Found Where They Choose To Go. Remember, The Path We Follow In This Life Leads To The Path We Follow In The Next.

The Greatest Force In The World Today Is The Power Of God As It Works Through Man.

Wonderful, Glorious Things Are In Store For You If You Will Only Believe, Obey, And Endure.

We Must Learn To Separate Need From Greed...we Must Not Allow Our Yearnings To Exceed Our Earnings.

Let Us Be Kind To One Another, To Be Aware Of Each Other’s Needs, And Try To Help In That Regard.

Youth Of The Church, The World Is In Need Of Your Help. There Are Feet To Steady, Hands To Grasp, Minds To Encourage, Hearts To Inspire, And Souls To Save. The Harvest Truly Is Great. Let There Be No Mistake About It; The Missionary Opportunity Of A Lifetime Is Yours.

Ours Is The Responsibility To Show Our Gratitude By The Actions Of Our Lives.

Turning The Pages Of Scriptural History From Beginning To End, We Learn Of The Ultimate Pioneer-even Jesus Christ. His Birth Was Foretold By The Prophets Of Old; His Entry Upon The Stage Of Life Was Announced By An Angel. His Life And His Ministry Have Transformed The World. . . . May We Ever Follow Him.

Wishing Will Not Make It So. The Lord Expects Our Thinking. He Expects Our Action. He Expects Our Labors. He Expects Our Testimonies. He Expects Our Devotion.

Heavenly Father Has A Picture Of You On His Dresser. He Loves You And Will Help You. Call Upon Him.

Let Me Begin Now, This Very Night, To Emulate Christ. Cast Off Forever Will Be The Old Self And With It Defeat, Despair, Doubt, And Disbelief. To A Newness Of Life I Come--a Life Of Faith, Hope Courage, And Joy. No Task Looms Too Large; No Responsibility Too Heavy; No Duty Is A Burden. All Things Become Possible.

May We Muster Courage At The Crossroads, Courage For The Conflicts, Courage To Say, "no," Courage To Say, "yes," For Courage Counts.

As I Contemplate All That You Face In The World Today, One Word Comes To My Mind. It Describes An Attribute Needed By All Of Us But One Which You-at This Time Of Your Life And In This World-will Need Particularly. That Attribute Is Courage.

There Is A Golden Thread That Runs Through Every Account Of Faith From The Beginning Of The World To The Present Time. Abraham, Noah, The Brother Of Jared, The Prophet Joseph Smith, And Countless Others Wanted To Be Obedient To The Will Of God. They Had Ears That Could Hear, Eyes That Could See, And Hearts That Could Know And Feel. They Never Doubted. They Trusted.

The Road Back To God Is Not Nearly So Steep Nor Is It So Difficult As Some Would Have Us Believe.

With All The Strength Of My Soul, I Testify That God Lives, That His Beloved Son Is The Firstfruits Of The Resurrection, That The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is That Penetrating Light That Makes Of Every Hopeless Dawn A Joyful Morning.

Tears Came To My Eyes When I Read Of A Mere Boy In One Of Our Eastern Cities Who Noticed A Vagrant Asleep On A Sidewalk And Who Then Went To His Own Room, Retrieved His Own Pillow, And Placed It Beneath The Head Of That One Whom He Knew Not. Perhaps There Came From The Precious Past The Welcome Words: 'inasmuch As Ye Have Done It Unto One Of The Least Of These My Brethren, Ye Have Done It Unto Me' (matt. 25:40).

Life Is Perfect For None Of Us. Rather Than Being Judgmental And Critical Of Each Other, May We Have The Pure Love Of Christ For Our Fellow Travelers In This Journey Through Life.

I Express My Profound Thanks To A Loving Heavenly Father Who Gives To You, To Me, And To All Who Sincerely Seek, The Knowledge That Death Is Not The End, That His Son--even Our Savior Jesus Christ--died That We Might Live. Temples Of The Lord Dot The Lands Of Many Countries. Sacred Covenants Are Made. Celestial Glory Awaits The Obedient. Families Can Be Together Forever.

On Occasion I Have Observed Parents Shopping To Clothe A Son About To Enter Missionary Service. The New Suits Are Fitted, The New Shoes Are Laced, And Shirts, Socks, And Ties Are Bought In Quantity. I Met One Father Who Said To Me, 'brother Monson, I Want You To Meet My Son.' Pride Popped His Buttons; The Cost Of The Clothing Emptied His Wallet; Love Filled His Heart. Tears Filled My Eyes When I Noticed That His [the Father's] Suit Was Old, His Shoes Well Worn; But He Felt No Deprivation. The Glow On His Face Was A Memory To Cherish.

Christmas Is A Glorious Time Of The Year, Simple In Origin, Deep In Meaning, Beautiful In Tradition And Custom, Rich In Memories, And Charitable In Spirit.

We Are A Temple-building And A Temple-attending People.

To Be Angry Is To Yield To The Influence Of Satan. No One Can Make Us Angry. It Is Our Choice. If We Desire To Have A Proper Spirit With Us At All Times, We Must Choose To Refrain From Becoming Angry. I Testify That Such Is Possible.

The Knowledge Which We Seek, The Answers For Which We Yearn, And The Strength Which We Desire Today To Meet The Challenges Of A Complex And Changing World Can Be Ours When We Willingly Obey The Lord’s Commandments.

Your Future Depends On Your Faith.

As We Arise Each Morning, Let Us Determine To Respond With Love And Kindness To Whatever Might Come Our Way.

As We Seek Christ, As We Find Him, As We Follow Him, We Shall Have The Christmas Spirit, Not For One Fleeting Day Each Year, But As A Companion Always.

Each Of Us Can Be A Leader. We Need To Remember That The Mantle Of Leadership Is Not The Cloak Of Comfort, But The Robe Of Responsibility. Perhaps Our Service Is To Youth. If So, I Caution: 'youth Needs Fewer Critics And More Models.' One Hundred Years From Now It Will Not Matter What Kind Of A Car We Drove, What Kind Of A House We Lived In, How Much We Had In The Bank Account, Nor What Our Clothes Looked Like. But The World May Be A Little Better Because We Were Important In The Life Of A Boy Or A Girl.

The Good You Have Done, The Kind Words You Have Spoken, The Love You Have Shown To Others, Can Never Be Fully Measured.

I Promise You That One Day You Will Stand Aside And Look At Your Difficult Times, You Will Realize That He Was Always There Beside You.

We Must Develop The Capacity To See Men Not As They Are At Present But As They May Become.

I Testify To You Today That Turning Away From God Brings Broken Covenants, Shattered Dreams, And Crushed Hopes. Such A Quagmire Of Quicksand I Plead With You To Avoid. You Are Of A Noble Birthright. Eternal Life In The Kingdom Of Our Father Is Your Goal.

One Sees A Blatant Disregard For The Precious Souls Of Mankind.

The Road To Anywhere Is The Road To Nowhere, And The Road To Nowhere Leads To Dreams Sacrificed, Opportunities Squandered, And A Life Unfulfilled. In Our Journey We Will Encounter Forks And Turnings In The Road.

The Question Each Of Us Must Answer Is ... What Shall I Do With Jesus? He Himself Has Provided Us The Answer: "follow Me, And Do The Things Which Ye Have Seen Me Do"

So Frequently We Mistakenly Believe That Our Children Need More Things, When In Reality Their Silent Pleadings Are Simply For More Of Our Time.

The Passage Of Time Has Not Altered The Capacity Of The Redeemer To Change Men’s Lives. As He Said To The Dead Lazarus, So He Says To You And Me: “come Forth.” Come Forth From The Despair Of Doubt. Come Forth From The Sorrow Of Sin. Come Forth From The Death Of Disbelief. Come Forth To A Newness Of Life. Come Forth.

Along That Straight And True Path There Are Other Goals: Missionary Service, Temple Marriage, Church Activity, Scripture Study, Prayer, Temple Work. There Are Countless Worthy Goals To Reach As We Travel Through Life. Needed Is Our Commitment To Reach Them.

Think To Thank. In These Three Words Are The Finest Capsule Course For A Happy Marriage, Formula For Enduring Friendship, And A Pattern For Personal Happiness.

Several Years Ago My Dear Wife Went To The Hospital. She Left A Note Behind For The Children: "dear Children, Do Not Let Daddy Touch The Microwave" - Followed By A Comma, "or The Stove, Or The Dishwasher, Or The Dryer." I'm Embarrassed To Add Any More To That List.

Our Most Significant Opportunities Will Be Found In Times Of Greatest Difficulty.

This Is Not A Time For Fear, Brethren, But Rather A Time For Faith - A Time For Each Of Us Who Holds The Priesthood To Be His Best Self.

The Way To Be With God In Every Season Is To Strive To Be Near Him Every Week And Each Day.

There Will Come Into Every Life Moments Of Despair And The Need For Direction From A Divine Source-even An Unspoken Plea For Help.

The Lord Is In The Details Of Our Lives.

How Grateful We Are That The Heavens Are Indeed Open, That The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Has Been Restored, And That The Church Is Founded On The Rock Of Revelation. We Are A Blessed People, With Apostles And Prophets Upon The Earth Today.

Your Mind Is A Cupboard And You Stock The Shelves.

Should There Be Anyone Who Feels He Is Too Weak To Do Better Because Of That Greatest Of Fears, The Fear Of Failure, There Is No More Comforting Assurance To Be Had Than The Words Of The Lord: 'my Grace Is Sufficient For All Men That Humble Themselves Before Me; For If They Humble Themselves Before Me, And Have Faith In Me, Then Will I Make Weak Things Become Strong Unto Them' (ether 12:27)

Glance Backward, Look Heavenward, Reach Outward, Press Onward

No Temptation, No Pressure, No Enticing Can Overcome Us Unless We Allow Such. If We Make The Wrong Choice, We Have No One To Blame But Ourselves.

There Will Be Occasions In Each Of Our Lives When We Will Be Called Upon To Explain Or To Defend Our Beliefs. When The Time For Performance Arrives, The Time For Preparation Is Past.

I Know That God Loves Us. He Allows Us To Exercise Our Moral Agency Even When We Misuse It. He Permits Us To Make Our Own Decisions. Christ Cannot Help Us If We Do Not Trust Him; He Cannot Teach Us If We Do Not Serve Him. He Will Not Force Us To Do What's Right, But He Will Show Us The Way Only When We Decide To Serve Him. Certainly, For Us To Serve In His Kingdom, Christ Requires That We Experience A Change Of Thought And Attitude.

You May Sometimes Be Tempted To Say, ‘will My Influence Make Any Difference? I Am Just One. Will My Service Affect The Work That Dramatically?’ I Testify To You That It Will. You Will Never Be Able To Measure Your Influence For Good.

We Learn And Grow And Become Stronger As We Face And Survive The Trials Through Which We Must Pass.

As A Result Of The Sacred Ordinances Performed In The Holy House Of God, No Light Need Be Permanently Extinguished, No Voice Permanently Stilled, No Place In Our Heart Permanently Left Vacant.

Avoid Pornography At All Costs!

Have The Moral Courage To Be A Light For Others To Follow.

Often We Live Side By Side But Do Not Communicate Heart To Heart.

There Is Much That Is Difficult And Challenging In The World Today, My Brothers And Sisters, But There Is Also Much That Is Good And Uplifting. As We Declare In Our Thirteenth Article Of Faith, 'if There Is Anything Virtuous, Lovely, Or Of Good Report Or Praiseworthy, We Seek After These Things.' May We Ever Continue To Do So.

You Will Never Be Able To Measure Your Influence For Good.

Whenever We Are Inclined To Feel Burdened Down With The Blows Of Life, Let Us Remember That Others Have Passed The Same Way, Have Endured, And Then Have Overcome.

All Of Us Are Prone To Excuse Our Own Mediocre Performance. We Blame Our Misfortunes, Our Disfigurements, Our So-called Handicaps. Victims Of Our Own Rationalization, We Say Silently To Ourselves, 'i'm Just Too Weak,' Or 'i'm Not Cut Out For Better Things.' Others Soar Beyond Our Meager Accomplishments. Envy And Discouragement Take Their Toll. .

Some Are Young People Who Don't Know Who They Are, What They Can Be Or Even Want To Be. They Are Afraid, But They Don't Know Of What. They Are Angry, But They Don't Know At Whom. They Are Rejected And They Don't Know Why. All They Want Is To Be Somebody.

The Battle For Self-discipline May Leave You A Bit Bruised And Battered But Always A Better Person. Self-discipline Is A Rigorous Process At Best; Too Many Of Us Want It To Be Effortless And Painless. Should Temporary Setbacks Afflict Us, A Very Significant Part Of Our Struggle For Self-discipline Is The Determination And The Courage To Try Again....eternal Life In The Kingdom Of Our Father Is Your Goal, And Self-discipline Will Surely Be Required If You Are To Achieve It.

Lessons Learned In The Home, Last The Longest.

We've All Felt Anger. It Can Come When Things Don't Turn Out The Way We Want. It Might Be A Reaction To Something Which Is Said Of Us Or To Us. We May Experience It When People Don't Behave The Way We Want Them To Behave. Perhaps It Comes When We Have To Wait For Something Longer Than We Expected. We Might Feel Angry When Others Can't See Things From Our Perspective. There Seem To Be Countless Possible Reasons For Anger….if We Desire To Have A Proper Spirit With Us At All Times, We Must Choose To Refrain From Becoming Angry.

Each Of Us Has Much For Which To Be Grateful If We Will But Pause And Contemplate Our Blessings.

Sometimes We Let Our Thoughts Of Tomorrow Take Up Too Much Of Today. Daydreaming Of The Past And Longing For The Future May Provide Comfort But Will Not Take The Place Of Living In The Present. This Is The Day Of Our Opportunity, And We Must Grasp It

Christmas Is The Spirit Of Giving Without A Thought Of Getting.

We Cannot Truly Love God If We Do Not Love Our Fellow Travelers On This Mortal Journey.

We Laugh, We Cry, We Work, We Play, We Love, We Live. And Then We Die. ... And Dead We Would Remain But For One Man And His Mission, Even Jesus Of Nazareth. ... With All My Heart And The Fervency Of My Soul, I Lift Up My Voice In Testimony As A Special Witness And Declare That God Does Live. Jesus Is His Son, The Only Begotten Of The Father In The Flesh. He Is Our Redeemer; He Is Our Mediator With The Father. He It Was Who Died On The Cross To Atone For Our Sins. He Became The Firstfruits Of The Resurrection. Because He Died, All Shall Live Again.

The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Is That Penetrating Light Which Shines Through The Darkness Of Our Lives.

From The Book Of Mormon Come Other Precious Promises, Including Promises Of Peace, Freedom, And Blessings If We 'will But Serve The God Of The Land, Who Is Jesus Christ' (ether 2:12).

Love Is The Catalyst That Causes Change. Love Is The Balm That Brings Healing To The Soul.

Missionary Service Is A Priesthood Duty.

Gaze Upward, Look Inward, Reach Outward, Press Forward.

Not Surprisingly, As The Pioneer Theme Is Presented, Each Goes Back In Memory To His Or Her Own Family Line. There Are Usually Examples To Identify And Which Fit The Definition Of A Pioneer: "one Who Goes Before, Showing Others The Way To Follow." Some, If Not All, Made Great Sacrifices To Leave Behind Comfort And Ease And Respond To That Clarion Call Of Their Newly Found Faith.

This Sabbath Day Has Been Designated As A Day Of Thanksgiving, A Day Of Gratitude-even A Day Of Prayer. We Pause, We Ponder, We Reflect On The Blessings An All-wise Heavenly Father Has Bestowed Upon Us, His Children, By Bringing Peace To The Battlefield Of War And Comfort To The Hearts Of So Many In This Wonderful World Where We Live And Which We Call Home

Work Without Vision Is Drudgery. Vision Without Work Is Dreaming. Work Coupled With Vision Is Destiny.

Our Heavenly Father Is Aware Of Our Needs And Will Help Us As We Call Upon Him For Assistance. I Believe That No Concern Of Ours Is Too Small Or Insignificant. The Lord Is In The Details Of Our Lives.

Christ's Peace Can Permeate Any Heart - Hearts That Are Troubled, Burdened With Grief, Confused, And Pleading For Help.

Keep The Commandments Of God. If You Have Sinned, The Sooner You Begin To Make Your Way Back, The Sooner You Will Find The Sweet Peace And Joy That Come With The Miracle Of Forgiveness. Happiness Comes From Living The Way The Lord Wants You To Live And From Service To God And Others.

Help Others In Their Race Of Life. Remember That When You Help Another Up A Mountain, You Are A Little Nearer The Top Yourself.

Courage Is Required To Make An Initial Thrust Towards Ones Coveted Goal, But Even Greater Courage Is Called For When One Stumbles And Must Make A Second Effort To Achieve.

When We Deal In Generalities, We Shall Never Succeed. When We Deal In Specifics, We Shall Rarely Have A Failure. When Performance Is Measured, Performance Improves. When Performance Is Measured And Reported, The Rate Of Performance Accelerates.

When We Ponder That Vast Throng Who Have Died Honorably Defending Home And Hearth, We Contemplate Those Immortal Words, 'greater Love Hath No Man Than This, That A Man Lay Down His Life For His Friends.' The Feelings Of Heartfelt Gratitude For The Supreme Sacrifice Made By So Many Cannot Be Confined To A Memorial Day, A Military Parade, Or A Decorated Grave.

To Express Gratitude Is Gracious And Honorable, To Enact Gratitude Is Generous And Noble, But To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

It’s Not Enough To Wish, It’s Not Enough To Dream, It’s Not Enough To Promise. We Must Do.

Of Course, We Will Face Fear, Experience Ridicule, And Meet Opposition. Let Us Have The Courage To Defy The Consensus, The Courage To Stand For Principle. Courage, Not Compromise, Brings The Smile Of God's Approval.

I Have Found That, Rather Than Dwelling On The Negative, If We Will Take A Step Back And Consider The Blessings In Our Lives, Including Seemingly Small, Sometimes Overlooked Blessings, We Can Find Greater Happiness.

I Plead With You To Have The Courage To Refrain From Judging And Criticizing Those Around You, As Well As The Courage To Make Certain That Everyone Is Included And Feels Loved And Valued.

Every Bishop Can Testify To The Promptings That Attend Calls To Serve In The Church. Frequently The Call Seems To Be For The Benefit Not So Much Of Those To Be Taught Or Led As For The Person Who Is To Teach Or Lead.

The Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Step. Watch Your Step.

Family Prayer Is The Greatest Deterrent To Sin, And Hence The Most Beneficent Provider Of Joy And Happiness. The Old Saying Is Yet True: 'the Family That Prays Together Stays Together.'

The Most Constant Thing Is Change.

Let Us Respect Others No One Lives Alone In A City, A Nation, Or A World.

Respecting Others

Ideals Are Like The Stars - You Can't Touch Them With Your Hands, But By Following Them You Reach Your Destination.

Let Us Have The Courage To Defy The Consensus, The Courage To Stand For Principle. Courage, Not Compromise, Brings The Smile Of God’s Approval. Courage Becomes A Living And An Attractive Virtue When It Is Regarded Not Only As A Willingness To Die Manfully, But Also As A Determination To Live Decently. A Moral Coward Is One Who Is Afraid To Do What He Thinks Is Right Because Others Will Disapprove Or Laugh. Remember That All Men Have Their Fears, But Those Who Face Their Fears With Dignity Have Courage As Well.

When Firmly Planted, Your Testimony Of The Gospel, Of The Savior, And Of Our Heavenly Father Will Influence All That You Do Throughout Your Life. It Will Help To Determine How You Spend Your Time And With Whom You Choose To Associate. It Will Affect The Way You Treat Your Family, How You Interact With Others. It Will Bring Love, Peace, And Joy Into Your Life.

Each Of Us Can Do Something To Help Someone.

Can Do Something

Learn From The Past, Prepare For The Future, Live In The Present.

Courage Is Required To Make An Initial Thrust Toward One's Coveted Goal, But Even Greater Courage Is Called For When One Stumbles And Must Make A Second Effort To Achieve. Have The Determination To Make The Effort, The Single-mindedne Ss To Work Toward A Worthy Goal, And The Courage Not Only To Face The Challenges That Inevitably Come But Also To Make A Second Effort, Should Such Be Required.

As We Move Toward The Future, We Must Not Neglect The Lessons Of The Past. Our Heavenly Father Gave His Son. The Son Of God Gave His Life. We Are Asked By Them To Give Our Lives, As It Were, In Their Divine Service. Will You? Will I? Will We? There Are Lessons To Be Taught, There Are Kind Deeds To Be Done, There Are Souls To Be Saved.

Let Us Not Only Remember The Past And Its Required Sacrifice, Let Us Also Remember That We Are Responsible To Build A Legacy For The Generations Which Follow Us.

When The Time For Decision Arrives, The Time For Preparation Is Past.

Avoid The Philosophy And Excuse That Yesterday's Luxuries Have Become Today's Necessities. They Aren't Necessities Unless We Ourselves Make Them Such. . . . It Is Essential For Us To Live Within Our Means.

There Are Feet To Steady, Hands To Grasp, Minds To Encourage, Hearts To Inspire, And Souls To Save

Loving Service Anonymously Given May Be Unknown To Man-but The Gift And The Giver Are Known To God.

Remember That Ofttimes The Wisdom Of God Appears As Foolishness To Men, But The Greatest Single Lesson We Can Learn In Mortality Is That When God Speaks And A Man Obeys, That Man Will Always Be Right.

A Man Without A Purpose Is Like A Ship Without A Rudder - Never Likely To Reach Home Port. To Us Comes The Signal: Chart Your Course, Set Your Sail, Position Your Rudder, And Proceed.

As You And I Walk The Pathway Jesus Walked, Let Us Listen For The Sound Of Sandaled Feet. Let Us Reach Out For The Carpenter's Hand. Then We Shall Come To Know Him.

Charity Is Having Patience With Someone Who Has Let Us Down. It Is Resisting The Impulse To Become Offended Easily. It Is Accepting Weaknesses And Shortcomings. It Is Accepting People As They Truly Are. It Is Looking Beyond Physical Appearances To Attributes That Will Not Dim Through Time. It Is Resisting The Impulse To Categorize Others.

In The Search For Our Best Selves, Several Questions Will Guide Our Thinking: Am I What I Want To Be? Am I Closer To The Savior Today Than I Was Yesterday? Will I Be Closer Yet Tomorrow? Do I Have The Courage To Change For The Better?

Opportunities Are Everywhere. Needed Are Eyes To See The Pitiable Plight And Ears To Hear The Silent Pleadings Of A Broken Heart.

How You Speak And The Words You Use Tell Much About The Image You Choose To Portray. Use Language To Build And Uplift Those Around You. Profane, Vulgar, Or Crude Language And Inappropriate Or Off-color Jokes Are Offensive To The Lord. Never Misuse The Name Of God Or Jesus Christ. The Lord Said, "thou Shalt Not Take The Name Of The Lord Thy God In Vain" (ex. 20:7).

Pray Always, And Be Believing, And All Things Shall Work Together For Your Good.

Working Together

We Will Never Regret The Kind Words Spoken Or The Affection Shown. Rather, Our Regrets Will Come If Such Things Are Omitted From Our Relationships With Those Who Mean The Most To Us.

The Face Of Sin Today Often Wears The Mask Of Tolerance. Do Not Be Deceived; Behind That Facade Is Heartache, Unhappiness And Pain. .. You Be The One To Make A Stand For Right, Even If You Stand Alone. Have The Moral Courage To Be A Light For Others To Follow.

When You’re On The Lord’s Errand, You’re Entitled To The Lord’s Blessings.

There Is No Better Time Than Now, This Very Christmas Season, For All Of Us To Rededicate Ourselves To The Principles Taught By Jesus Christ. It Is The Time To Love The Lord, Our God, With All Our Heart – And Our Neighbors As Ourselves. It Is Well To Remember That He Who Gives Money Gives Much; He Who Gives Time Gives More; But He Who Gives Of Himself Gives All.

There Is Absolutely Nothing In This World That Will Provide More Comfort And Happiness Than A Testimony Of The Truth.

With A Strong Testimony Of The Savior And His Restored Gospel, You Have Limitless Opportunities To Shine.

Decisions Determine Destiny.

It Is Necessary To Prepare And To Plan So That We Don’t Fritter Away Our Lives. Without A Goal, There Can Be No Real Success. One Of The Best Definitions Of Success I Have Ever Heard Goes Something Like This: Success Is The Progressive Realization Of A Worthy Ideal. Someone Has Said The Trouble With Not Having A Goal Is That You Can Spend Your Life Running Up And Down The Field And Never Cross The Goal Line.

If Ingratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues.

How Long Has It Been Since You Looked Into The Eyes Of Your Mother And, Holding Nothing Back, Spoke Those Welcome Words, 'mother, I Truly Love You'? How About Father, Who Daily Toils To Provide For You? Fathers Appreciate Hearing Those Same Precious Words From The Lips Of A Child, 'i Love You.'

Miracles Are Everywhere To Be Found When The Priesthood Is Understood, Its Power Is Honored And Used Properly, And Faith Is Exerted.

When We Qualify For The Help Of The Lord, We Can Build Boys, We Can Mend Men, We Can Accomplish Miracles In His Holy Service. Our Opportunities Are Without Limit.

Each Heartfelt Prayer, Each Church Meeting Attended, Each Worthy Friend, Each Righteous Decision, Each Act Of Service Perfomed All Precede That Goal Of Eternal Life.

Missionary Work Is An Identifying Feature Of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints. Always Has It Been; Ever Shall It Be.

It Is Our Solemn Duty, Our Precious Privilege-even Our Sacred Opportunity-to Welcome To Our Homes And To Our Hearts The Children Who Grace Our Lives.

May You Constantly Nourish Your Testimonies Of The Gospel That They Will Be A Protection To You Against The Buffetings Of The Adversary.

Courage Becomes A Worthwhile And Meaningful Virtue When It Is Regarded Not So Much As A Willingness To Die Manfully But As A Determination To Live Decently.

Happiness Comes When We Stop Complaining About The Troubles We Have And Offer Thanks For All The Troubles We Don't Have.

Needed Are...[souls] Filled With Compassion, That We Might Communicate Not Only Eye To Eye, Or Voice To Ear, But In The Majestic Style Of The Savior, Even Heart To Heart.

In Sickness, With Its Attendant Pain, Patience Is Required. If The Only Perfect Man Who Ever Lived-even Jesus Of Nazareth-was Called Upon To Endure Great Suffering, How Can We, Who Are Less Than Perfect, Expect To Be Free Of Such Challenges?

Prayer Continues To Provide Power--spiritual Power. Prayer Continues To Provide Peace--spiritual Peace.

Spiritual Peace

The Battle For Self-discipline May Leave You A Bit Bruised And Battered But Always A Better Person.

The Lord’s Purposes Are Often Accomplished As We Pay Heed To The Guidance Of The Spirit. I Believe That The More We Act Upon The Inspiration And Impressions Which Come To Us, The More The Lord Will Entrust To Us His Errands.

As The Christmas Season Envelops Us With All Its Glory, May We, As Did The Wise Men, Seek A Bright, Particular Star To Guide Us In Our Celebration Of The Savior’s Birth.

Reading Is One Of The True Pleasures Of Life. In Our Age Of Mass Culture, When So Much That We Encounter Is Abridged,adapted, Adulterated, Shredded, And Boiled Down, It Is Mind-easing And Mind-inspiring To Sit Down Privately With A Congenial Book.

Though We May Not Necessarily Forfeit Our Lives In Service To Our God, We Can Certainly Demonstrate Our Love For Him By How Well We Serve Him.

Testimony Bearing Is The Key To Missionary Work

The Sweetest Feeling In Mortality Is To Realize That God, Our Heavenly Father, Knows Each One Of Us And Generously Permits Us To See And To Share His Divine Power To Save.

Love Thy Neighbor Is More Than A Divine Truth. It Is A Pattern For Perfection.

The Future Is In Your Hands, The Outcome Is Up To You.

If We Are To Have The Very Best Christmas Ever, We Must Listen For The Sound Of Sandaled Feet. We Must Reach Out For The Carpenter's Hand. With Every Step We Take In His Footsteps, We Abandon A Doubt And Gain A Truth.

Whatever Our Calling, Regardless Of Our Fears Or Anxieties, Let Us Pray And Then Go And Do.

The Effectiveness Of An Inspired Bishop, Adviser, Or Teacher Has Very Little To Do With The Outward Trappings Of Power Or An Abundance Of This World's Goods. The Leaders Who Have The Most Influence Are Usually Those Who Set Hearts Afire With Devotion To The Truth, Who Make Obedience To Duty Seem The Essence Of Manhood, Who Transform Some Ordinary Routine Occurrence So That It Becomes A Vista Where We See The Person We Aspire To Be.

Clearly, One Primary Purpose Of Our Existence Upon The Earth Is To Obtain A Body Of Flesh And Bones. We Have Also Been Given The Gift Of Agency. In A Thousand Ways We Are Privileged To Choose For Ourselves. Here We Learn From The Hard Taskmaster Of Experience. We Discern Between Good And Evil. We Differentiate As To The Bitter And The Sweet. We Discover That There Are Consequences Attached To Our Actions.

Oh, Sweet The Joy This Sentence Gives: ‘i Know That My Redeemer Lives!’

The Spirit Of Christmas Is The Spirit Of Love And Of Generosity And Of Goodness. It Illuminates The Picture Window Of The Soul, And We Look Out Upon The World's Busy Life And Become More Interested In People Than In Things.

Merry Christmas

Christmas Is The Spirit Of Giving Without A Thought Of Getting. It Is Happiness Because We See Joy In People. It Is Forgetting Self And Finding Time For Others. It Is Discarding The Meaningless And Stressing The True Values

Because Of Jesus Christ The World Has Changed, The Divine Atonement Has Been Made, The Price Of Sin Has Been Paid, And The Fearful Spectacle Of Death Yields To The Light Of Truth And The Assurance Of Resurrection. Though The Years Roll By, His Birth, His Ministry, His Legacy Continue To Guide The Destiny Of All Who Follow Him As He So Invitingly Urged.

We Can’t Direct The Wind, But We Can Adjust The Sails. For Maximum Happiness, Peace, And Contentment, May We Choose A Positive Attitude.

May I Share With You A Formula That In My Judgment Will Help You And Help Me To Journey Well Through Mortality... First, Fill Your Mind With Truth; Second, Fill Your Life With Service; And Third, Fill Your Heart With Love.

A Prayerful Life Is The Key To Possessing Gratitude. We Often Take For Granted The People Who Most Deserve Our Gratitude. Let Us Not Wait Until It Is Too Late For Us To Express Our Gratitude. Feeling Gratitude And Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present And Not Giving It. If I Gratitude Be Numbered Among The Serious Sins, Then Gratitude Takes Its Place Among The Noblest Of Virtues. To Express Gratitude Is Gracious And Honorable, To Enact Gratitude Is Generous And Noble, But To Live With Gratitude Ever In Our Hearts Is To Touch Heaven.

The Future Will Present Insurmountable Problems- Only When We Consider Them Insurmountable.

May Your Homes Be Filled With Peace, Harmony, Courtesy, And Love. May They Be Filled With The Spirit Of The Lord.

Prayer Is The Passport To Peace.

Fill Your Mind With Truth; Fill Your Heart With Love; Fill Your Life With Service.

Mortality Is A Period Of Testing, A Time To Prove Ourselves Worthy To Return To The Presence Of Our Heavenly Father. In Order For Us To Be Tested, We Must Face Challenges And Difficulties. These Can Break Us, And The Surface Of Our Souls May Crack And Crumble-that Is, If Our Foundations Of Faith, Our Testimonies Of Truth Are Not Deeply Embedded Within Us.

To Catch The Real Meaning Of The Spirit Of Christmas, We Need Only Drop The Last Syllable, And It Becomes The Spirit Of Christ.

I Dreamt And Saw That Life Was Joy. I Awoke And Saw That Life Was Duty. I Served And Found That Duty Was Joy. See Life A Duty, Ellen Sturgis Hooper, (1816-1841) Topics: Beauty, Duty & Life I Slept, And Dreamed That Life Was Beauty; I Woke, And Found That Life Was Duty.

In The Private Sanctuary Of One's Own Conscience Lies That Spirit, That Determination To Cast Off The Old Person And To Measure Up To The Statue Of True Potential.

Let Us Open Wide The Windows Of Our Hearts, That Each Family Member May Feel Welcome And 'at Home.

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Lois McMaster Bujold

Sholom Aleichem

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